1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer accommodating container and a developing device, which are suitably used in a process cartridge or an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a process cartridge method has been widely adopted in which in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, serving as an image bearing member, and process means operating thereon are integrated to provide a cartridge so as to be detachable with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus.
Such a conventional process cartridge includes a developing container, a toner accommodating container, serving as a developer accommodating container, and a cleaning container, and a toner is supplied from the toner accommodating container to the developing container by the fall of the toner stirred by a stirring member due to the toner""s own weight.
However, the conventional process cartridge has the following problems.
That is, if the size of the toner accommodating container is increased, the circulation of the toner is degraded due to an increase in the weight of the toner, resulting, for example, in severer developing conditions.
Furthermore, when the size of the toner accommodating container is increased, if the configuration that a developing container and the toner accommodating container are swingably pressed against each other in order to position a developer carrying member provided in the developing container with respect to a photosensitive member is adopted, a change in the weight of a toner within the toner accommodating container sometimes influences the pressure between the photosensitive member and the developer carrying member.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a developer accommodating container and a developing device which allow an increase in the size of the developer accommodating container.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a developer accommodating container and a developing device including the same which can improve the picture quality by improving the circulation of a developer, preventing degradation of the developer accommodating container and the developing device, and stably supplying the toner, while realizing an increase in the size of the developer accommodating container.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a developer accommodating container and a developing device in which a change in the amount of a developer remaining in the developer accommodating container does not influence positioning between a developer carrying member and an image bearing member, while realizing an increase in the size of the developer accommodating container.
According to one aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a developer accommodating container for accommodating a developer. A developing container where the developer is supplied from the developer accommodating container is swingably connected to the developer accommodating container. The developer accommodating container includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer, and a plurality of rotatable conveying members, provided in the developer accommodating portion, for conveying the developer. The plurality of conveying members include a first conveying member, provided at a portion closest to the developing container, for conveying the developer to the developing container. The first conveying member out of the plurality of conveying members has a largest angular velocity and a smallest radius of rotation.
According to another aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a developing device including a developer accommodating container for accommodating a developer, and a developing container where the developer is supplied from the developer accommodating container. The developing container is swingably connected to the developer accommodating container. The developer accommodating container includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer, and a plurality of rotatable conveying members, provided in the developer accommodating portion, for conveying the developer. The plurality of conveying members include a first conveying member, provided at a portion closest to the developing container, for conveying the developer to the developing container. The first conveying member out of the plurality of conveying m embers has a largest angular velocity and a smallest radius of rotation.
The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.